


Nest Egg

by Centarious



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Owls are scary, Pets, Post-Game, misguided jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24006787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Centarious/pseuds/Centarious
Summary: Due to Byleth's new position, Dimitri was accustomed to her countless new companions. From nobles and nuns to knights and orphans, her popularity was unmatched in the expanded kingdom and to see her spread her hand to not just himself but rather the county had always filled him with such unfathomable joy. He'd never seen any reason to have doubts in their bond, or grow possessive, that is, until she mentioned an apparent fond, old friend with a sort of affection she showed only towards him.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 12
Kudos: 155





	Nest Egg

"There's someone I'd like you to meet." Simple, common words. Ones that Dimitri dully noted as being an interesting new common occurrence to their freshly shared lives as husband and wife. 

It wasn't a shock, really. She'd met countless people in her time as the newly appointed archbishop, and had made a few- well, a lot of- new acquaintances, both at the monastery and in Fhirdiad. It wasn't a well kept secret that the so-called Ashen Demon was in fact, a compassionate, soft soul beneath her unflinchingly flat resting face. Those who had the courage to approach with friendliness despite her intimidating outward appearance were often rewarded with both her warm friendship and tea.

Dimitri had met many of the men and women she had taken a fancy to, mostly nuns and knights at Garreg Mach and the various staff and merchants in Fhirdiad. Her strong companionship with castle Blaiddyd's head chef was renowned throughout the expanded kingdom. He wasn't surprised considering how often she visited the kitchen, either helping or sneaking snacks between her duties.

He'd caught her on more than one occasion padding back into their room in the middle of the night with an armful of baked goods and cold milk. He may or may not have joined her on some of those excursions, and certainly didn't accidentally dent the ice box on one of those hypothetical trips. Or break a cup. Or squish a handle. 

He was sure the only reason he was still allowed in the kitchen was because Byleth had smoothed over his constant damaging of things with the staff and ensured that he would atone. He gave them all a nice bonus and... promised to never enter without Byleth's supervision. Or touch anything. If only she had been at the castle when he'd been excommunicated from the wine cellar due to a particularly expensive blunder. 

Some of his clothes still smelled like wine.

Her popularity could fix any one of his mistakes if she insisted upon it- which she often did on more trivial matters. Anyone within a 20 mile radius of her current position was utterly enamored with her, and to some extent him. His only qualm with the entire situation was on more than one occasion being called a "trophy husband" by Sylvain or "painfully uninterested in human contact that was not his wife's" by Ingrid. He called it being satisfied, and that was that.

Byleth's companions were her own, and he'd not a problem with their differences in social interaction. He was certainly not an extreme introvert, his position wouldn't allow it, he was just hesitant to let new people in.

He was, though, joyful to meet those Byleth did when she let him tag along. It was humors to see how they were more flustered to meet him than the most powerful person in Fodlan. Despite him being only a king, she was both a queen, an archbishop, and the host of the goddess Sothis, they shook in their boots the moment he approached. The only thing he held with more power than her was physical strength, but being stronger than others had lost its novelty once he'd turned twelve. 

Still, he lamented how common it was for their subjects to hesitate at the sight of him, no matter how deserving he was of it. 

He was new to being kind and even newer to being king. One welcoming debut would not dictate their everlasting feelings despite how he craved for it to be. He only hoped that they would find more patience for him rather than lose it as time dragged on.

Of course, when faced with his social inadequacies and tendency to ruin tender affairs, Byleth wouldn't have him calling himself a spoilsport. She insisted that, with time, they would love him as dearly as she did him.

"Half the kingdom swoons over you, my heart, if anything they're just too charmed to act normal. No doubt they grow so beside themselves with jealousy that I got you when they see us together they can't form a proper sentence for fear it would offend me."

He'd scoffed at the notion, but wouldn't lie the hypothetical did ease his worries a little. If anything, they should be jealous of him for stealing such a selfless, caring, and beautiful woman. If half the kingdom swooned over him- which he doubted- half the world pined for her.

So despite being pleasantly joyful at being included in her ever growing social circle, he was... a bit apprehensive. The thin line between a cold backseat driver to a friendship and coming on too strong was one he slipped around often. He always tried to compensate one for another and it often ended in disaster. It didn't help that he often broke things more often when he was nervous...

Today's vice to his attempts to be friendly to a new person was his state of undress. Visiting Garreg Mach bimonthly for a week while Byleth was often lead to him being free of most of his duties due to painstaking, but worthwhile, preparations before hand. 

Not one to sit around idly, he often spent that time training or breaking horses. Anything involving manual labor really, despite the staff's insistence he relax.

This afternoon he'd ended up breaking a particularly fussy draft horse outside of the monastery. It certainly wasn't wild, but had been abandoned long enough to be not quite keen on be ridden ever again. Dimitri took up the challenge excitedly and apparently, from the word of a stable hand, he'd gotten farther than anyone had. 

After being tossed and trampled in the dirt and grass since early morning, he was unshockingly... less than presentable.

Byleth certainly didn't mind. She'd come to fetch him in the midst of being bucked off and kicked in the stomach. Once he'd noticed her and approached, she greeted him as always, giving him a her usual affectionate peck right on his split lip and told him to put on his shirt. Smeared with a healthy coating of mud, grass, and things smelling absolutely devilish, he'd expected her to slather him in soap in her tub before they took their lunch together. 

It came as quite a shock when she'd explained on their way through the monastery gates that there was someone very special she wanted him to meet, and from her use of pronouns, a man. 

Dimitri was- or at least he thought- not a very possessive man. Not vocally, at least. Of course, he'd proclaimed some rather embarrassing things in bed, like every one had at least once. Only me- I'm the only one who can be yours- came to mind, but outside of that, far from his academy days, he was fairly tame. He'd smothered most of the jealous tendencies he'd nursed as a boy behind rational thought and the strong desire to see Byleth happy, with him, or without. He'd found far more joy in seeing her spread hers to others than chaining her to his hip to steal it for himself. He wouldn't lie though that some traits still shined through the smoke of his burnt trails of thought.

"Beloved, surely I should change before I meet this one. I would hate to give off a bad first impression." He would hate to be outdone.

She shook her head, pony-tail bobbing. "Oh no, he won't mind." She took his hand as they rose up a set of stairs, setting out on the green that paneled the dormitories. Where were they heading? "You're going to love him," she claimed, her smile gentle. "He's such a beautiful, handsome thing. I've missed him so terribly."

He blinked, sure he'd misheard her as he ran her words over through his mind, only for his thoughts... and mumbling ghosts to confirm it. He swallowed, hoping to ease his flipping stomach. His thumb stroked up hers. "What a shame," he said, measuring his words as he tried to force some semblance of pleasantry into them. "Was he an old friend from your monastery days?" Surely, he was overeating. Annette and Mercedes referred to all their friends in such familiar ways. But... he'd never heard Byleth call anyone but him beautiful. 

He bit at his cheek. He wasn't very beautiful anyway, too covered in burns and scars- goddess, he only had one eye after all. Other people were far more worthy of that title from her lips. 

She shook her head, moving them to pillared sidewalk beside the dormitories, being rebuilt and readied for the first school year since his own. "No, I only met him here, but we were friends right away. He visited me every morning and night, especially during the war. He was quite needy once I returned, and I suspect he will be now."

His heart was hammering. Was there another student she fancied beside him back then? He'd never seen her so exclusively with another, especially not in the war. He was out of commission at first of course, but with his darker habits turned up to eleven he'd kept a shamefully close eye on her despite his coldness. Maybe it had been a secret, much like their own relationship before the end of the fighting.

"Really," he breathed. Now he was aching for a bath. And his armor. And his lance. "Where are we meeting this fine gentleman?"

She motioned ahead, to her old dorm room, the door open as it often was. "At this time, he should be in my room. Just in time for his treat." Treat? She let go of his hand to walk ahead. "He'll throw a tantrum if someone else goes in first, so allow me to fetch him." Before disappearing in her room. 

Quickly as he could, he wiped off as much loose dirt he could find and shook it out of his hair. He tucked his shirt into his pants and twisted it into place before kicking his boots against one of the wooden pillars to have it fit better. At the sight of Byleth egging outside, he straightened his posture and forced his most pleasant smile.

Only to furrow his brow first at the lack of a man behind her and second at the large owl perched on her arm, puffing up at the sight of him. 

Her smile was bright as the sun as she scratched under it's chin. "Meet Mikeal." 

That was- 

It wasn't-

Rather than a man it was- 

His posture immediately dropped. Good goddess, he was truly, totally mad. He let out a large breath as he brought a hand to his face, covering his eyes as he let out a shocked chuckle, shaking his head. 

"Dimitri?" He rubbed his eyes before dragging his hand down his face to find her head cocked like the bird beside her. 

"Beloved, I-" He let out a huff, smile as defeated as it was amused at himself- "Well, I thought you were going to introduce me to a man you fancied, not a- a monastery owl." Dear Seiros he was deranged.

She snorted, patting down a feather on her "old friend's" neck. "My heart, I thought I had smothered into you by now that you are, and have been, the only man I've ever fancied in my life-" The owl sidled up her arm before nuzzling against her neck- "the only human man, at least." She cooed, smoothing a hand down his wings.

The relief in him was as tangible as the smell of honeysuckle's in the air, and strong enough to bubble into giddiness as he saw just how attached she was to her feathered friend. He'd never been too fond of the birds in the monastery, and they him. In fact, the only animal that had ever mutually liked him was horses and the beagles his father bred for hunting. Everything else often hissed or, in owls' cases, screeched at him. He'd had many clothes defiled by one flying over head in his time on the monastery grounds. 

They made him skittish like no other animal, due to both their fragility and foul behavior. Sylvain had tried to catch one their first week at the academy and nearly lost his eye and Annette had gotten her breakfast scone stolen one day. 

Though Dimitri was less worried about his treats being commandeered, he was much more worried about losing an eye. He only had one left after all, and he was hell bent on keeping it.

"How in blazes did you get one of those to like you?" he asked, eyeing the large thing. It was too tall for comfort, with talons akin to that of a hawk's. Its beak looked sharp enough to chew through leather, and with it's large, uncanny eyes, he thought it would do so to a living animal just to show that it could. He understood now why the monastery insisted on them being the carriers for messages. They were only kind to the senders and receivers of their messages, and even then, begrudgingly. 

He'd gotten nipped quite a few times in the war. Even had a few scars on his fingers from the things.

It nuzzled closer into her, beak far too close to her jugular than Dimitri liked, but she hardly seemed to care, the action only endearing her further to the thing. "I'm not sure. He was my assigned mail carrier, so I suppose all the time we spent together led to it. Of course, I did spoil him a little." She reached into a pocket hidden in her dress and pulled out a browning slice of apple.

The creature perked up immediately at the sight, and waited patiently for her to offer a half to him. It snapped it down akin to how a turtle would bite a fisherman, and Dimitri tried not to cringe at how easy it would be for it to sever a finger. She offered the other half of the apple to him.

"Would you like to feed him?" He immediately shook his head

"No no. That's quite alright." By the way the owl was eyeing him, he was sure it'd sooner peck out his eye than feed from his hand. "Thank you for the offer."

She smiled, almost smirked, before giving the rest to him. After gulping down the fruit, it hobbled to the other side of her shoulder, turning its head to look back into her room before pinning Dimitri with its intense, uncomfortably man-like glare.

Oh it did not like him. 

She took a few steps toward him, holding out her arm for the bird to clop down, and he quickly backpedaled, smiling around his cringe. "Oh- uh-" his laugh was tense- "Y-you don't need to do that."

"Don't you want a closer look? His feather are quite striking," she insisted, taking another step.

Swallowing, he leaned his head in, glancing instead at his sharp tongs of claws, rather that its shining coat. He snapped back, clearing his throat. "Yes, very beautiful. I can see why you like him."

She hummed, smile growing as if she didn't notice the owl's pupils going from large to beady as its feathers puffed. Dimitri leaned back as he slowly stepped down to the middle of her arm. "He'd been ill for a little while, but was finally put back in commission today. He threw quite the tantrum when he found out I'd had been using another owl to send my messages." She patted his neck, and it leaned into the touch. It's eyes never left his. 

"What sort of tantrums?" He asked tentatively as it took another step.

She let out a tiny snicker. "Nothing much, just yelling and pushing things off my desk. Scared the goddess out of Seteth when he came into my office though. Flew right at him." Another scratch, this time under his wing. "He's a bit possessive. Reminds me a little of you."

He opened his mouth, looking away from the thing as it began to spread its wings, stepping from side to side as it lowered, to argue that surely he wasn't that bad, only to cut himself off with a yelp as it launched at him and landed right on his shoulder. 

His fingers curled as he went stick straight, the urge to breath too risky to try as the foul creature snapped its head to look in directly in the eyes, inches from his face. He was stiff as a board, and was positive it could hear his heart hammering in his chest. Had he not already been covered in sweat, he was sure it would be forming on his brow that minute.

His lips parted as he heard the tinkle of his beloved wife's laughter, spilling heartily from her chest. His gaze flicked to her for a split second before returning to the bird, craning his neck away, unsure if he should protect his throat or move it away. 

"Byleth," he huffed. "Byleth, this is not amusing to me." His pupils were pin points as they bore into his eye, so uncomfortably filled with human spite it sent a chill up his spine. "Byleth," he hissed between his teeth.

Her laughter only heightened. He'd never seen her so tickled at his expense in his life. "Oh goddess, what would the kingdom think seeing their fearless king and general be so terrified of a harmless owl."

"I beg to differ," he called. "One nearly blinded Sylvain at the start of the school year."

She shook her head. "Oh, he had it coming."

His face cinched in fear. "Well, this one thinks I do," he barked. "Byleth, please," he begged, "get it off-" It screeched in his face, and that was enough to break him from his trance to duck down and swipe at his shoulder. It was already off of him by then as he hurried to Byleth, panting while he gripped her arm for. His heart threatened to leap from his chest. 

With wide, shocked eyes, he watched it swoop into the grass and pluck up a mouse; flapping off towards the dock as its prey squealed into the air.

The silence between them was alight with electricity as he took in what had just happened. He slowly turned his head to her. "Harmless," he breathed. His eyes drew to where the owl had retreated to feast. "We must have differing opinions on what is... harmless."

Her giggle was airy, and had that flat quality he'd come to be soft for as she slipped a hand up his arm. "Just moments ago you were telling me how the horse you were wrangling was a 'sweetheart' deep down." He scowled, though it lacked any true venom. Her thumb came to rub away a line of dirt from his cheek. "I think my owl is exactly the same."

His lips thinned. "My horse didn't just snatch up an innocent mouse and try to eat it."

She gave him a light flick of his nose. "I can vaguely recall it trying to trample my husband, though, which, I feel, is crime due harsh punishment." She took his arm and began guiding them away from the dorms, heading towards the building her new room resided in. 

He let out an amused breath. "You'd give it one less carrot than usual before you'd ever scold an animal."

She hummed. "This is true." She patted his arm, stroking at a rather gnarly bruise on his wrist. "Now come, my heart, for putting up with my antics, I'll treat you to a bath." 

His brows rose. "Together?"

Her smile was as warm as the summer day. "Together."

**Author's Note:**

> This was a very self-indulgent piece I wrote on a whim after watching a lot of Cockatoo videos, thus the owl is basically the definition of the todlers that are Cockatoos. I also simply wanted to write about the birds in Garreg Mach that go mostly unnoticed. With Byleth being such an animal lover, I can't help but see her as being very close to them, especially the one that flies into her room sometimes.


End file.
